# Bardcore Surge Brings Medieval Music to Modern Ears 2026-08-14T23:06:12+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A curious musical trend known as 'bardcore' has been reimagining modern pop and rock songs with medieval instruments like the lute and lyrics peppered with 'thee' and 'thou'. It first gained momentum during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, as YouTube covers of tracks by Lady Gaga, Metallica and The Rolling Stones went viral. Earlier examples include the Belarusian band Stary Olsa’s 2016 album 'Medieval Classic Rock' and Sting’s 2006 collaboration with lutenist Edin Karamazov. Medieval-inspired music also thrives in fantasy video games like The Witcher 3 and Skyrim, which feature bard characters. Meanwhile, Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games have created a demand for authentic-sounding medieval ambience. Rolling Stone India reports that thousands of amateur musicians now produce bardcore content, with comment sections mimicking the banter of old tavern patrons. ## Coverage - rollingstoneindia.com Tags: Bardcore, Stary Olsa Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bardcore-surge-brings-medieval-music-to-modern-ears/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bardcore-surge-brings-medieval-music-to-modern-ears/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.